Andover Girls Volleyball Head Coach and Instructor in Physics Clyfe Beckwith wants his team to always “strive to go higher.” Through a balance of positivity and seriousness, Beckwith hopes to further develop the team’s chemistry, prioritizing the long-term goal of participating in the postseason tournament.
For Beckwith, volleyball is a game of honesty and sportsmanship. Though he heavily emphasizes upholding these two values on his team, he also hopes opposing teams will do the same, ensuring the best competition possible.
“Especially in volleyball, the referees don’t see everything, and I believe that calling your own touches or calling the ball in on your opponent makes us a better team because we know we have to earn each point. And I believe it sets up a friendlier competition rather than being so contrarian as in, it’s not us against the refs. It’s not us against the other team. We have to make sure we deserve the win,” said Beckwith.
Although Beckwith did not coach the team last season, Jaedyn Ford ’25 highlighted his competitive attitude after his return this season, ready to bring the team to the next level. Beckwith brings back volleyball experience from his time on youth national teams and NCAA Division I teams.
“This is our first year having him back as a coach and we immediately could see how much energy he has and how much love he has for the sport. How much he loves to be around us and spend time with us. And you could just see that from the beginning,” said Ford.
Kate Rogers ’26 appreciates his positivity that radiates both on the court and in the classroom.
Rogers said, “Coach Beckwith is a very positive person. He’s extremely nice and just fun to be around. He’s also my physics teacher, which is really fun. It’s fun getting to see him in the classroom and as a coach. I think he’s just a really fun coach. He’s always trying to make the drills enjoyable and the team dynamic good.”
Even with his lighthearted personality, Beckwith knows exactly when to switch into a more focused mindset to effectively make improvements to the team. According to Ford, finding a balance between being direct and being uplifting is one of his strengths.
“Even though he’s really positive and stuff, he knows when to be serious. He knows when to tell us the truth and stuff like that and knows when to be kind of harsh. Because, well, we want to have fun all the time. We can’t always, and he knows how to navigate that really well,” said Ford.
Rogers believes another one of Beckwith’s strengths is his vigilance during games. Constantly observing the opposing team’s strengths and weaknesses, the coach is able to develop effective counterattacks and counterstrategies for his team.
“He’s always watching the other players on the other teams to know what they’re doing and how we should improve, so we can do better in games. Or just in practice so we know what to improve on,” said Rogers.
This season, Beckwith’s team has consistently faced injury and Covid-19 absences, resulting in constant changes to its lineups. However, he believes such challenges are perfect opportunities to develop a strong team chemistry in preparation for the postseason close ahead.
Beckwith said, “I think team chemistry can only come when a group works together through some conflict and being on the other side of a team that pushes us to be better. The other portion of team chemistry is hanging out together, which is what I hope to achieve through team dinners and just having the team spend time together.”
